Police explore connection between body found in Thames and missing Norwich man

The man whose body was pulled from the Thames River on Tuesday has yet to be identified, but state police confirmed Wednesday that major crime detectives are working with Norwich police to explore the possibility he could be a missing Norwich man.

On Tuesday, a railroad employee contacted police after spotting what appeared to be a body on the eastern edge of the Thames River in Ledyard, close to railroad tracks near the Preston town line. The man's body was pulled from the water and taken to the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Farmington for an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.

Norwich police, meanwhile, say they have continued their efforts to locate 53-year-old William Missino Jr. of Norwich, who has been missing since Dec. 5. Missino was last seen walking toward his home on Cliff Street. He was known to frequent the downtown area and could often be found along the waterfront.

A statewide Silver Alert was issued shortly after Missino's disappearance, and Norwich police joined state police divers last month to perform a search of the Thames River.